AUDIO: Stormers 'reveal' their soccer and potato-throwing skills
SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers have no idea when they will take to the field again, but they have found some creative ways of being ‘rugby ready’.
The coaching staff have literally taken to ‘juggling’ and even studied ice hockey (or just hockey, as they call it in North America) to improve the players’ skills.
Labeeb Levy, the Stormers’ skills coach, revealed they have been challenging the players to come up with their own creative skills, as part of their home training.
“It is quite amazing what some of the players can come up with,” Levy said.
“[They do] stuff you don’t even think of – [like] using a rugby ball to play soccer.
“Salmaan Moerat’s [special] skill was throwing bags of potatoes onto a truck.
“The guys also did a lot of wall-passes with half-balls.
“My job is all about the Stormers’ individual skills.
“One player was on a ‘trapeze’ rope passing balls.”
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He added that the diversity in the group is one of the most pleasing aspects for the coaching team.
“Bongi [Mbongeni Mbonambi] is passing a ball, with his child hanging onto his leg.
“The players had to be really creative.”
He admitted that after many weeks of lockdown they are not rugby-ready at present, because there is no contact.
“It is all conditioning,” Levy said, adding: “We have a return to play plan.
“We treat it as a pre-season.”
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